Commentary: Coronavirus is real; my grandparents almost died from it
Masks have become a point of debate alongside beliefs that COVID-19 is a hoax, which has resulted in many families coping with the fear of sick family members.
Looking back on when everything first started with COVID-19, it seemed like a terrible movie.
Everyone stuck inside, unable to see anyone or do anything.
On top of it all, my grandparents refused to be quarantined and still went to church, which resulted in them getting the coronavirus.
In their defense, I guess they really wanted to praise the Lord. But being religious doesn’t keep a virus from getting you sick.
Having a goodbye video call with them was really hard. It made me incredibly sad. It made me feel like I ran out of time with them.
I started to remember everything I did with them as a child. It made me realize how much I missed those times and how much I wish I could still be with them. I just wished I had more time.
But that’s the thing about life or death situations, you don’t get to choose what is going to happen. You can only hope you somehow get the chance to do what you wish you had.
My grandparents did survive. But even after their near death experience with the virus, they still went to group meetings and met with people.
That hurt the most.
My grandparents did survive. But even after their near death experience with the virus, they still went to group meetings and met with people. That hurt the most.
— Julietta Golovey
Not only had they just recovered, they had chosen to do the very thing that almost killed them.
As upsetting as it was, it finally became illegal to go out and they stopped after that. That calmed me a bit but still. Their decision to be so reckless just scared me.
It didn’t help when the whole church started saying that coronavirus is a hoax made up by the government.
To that I say, what are you losing by taking a break from in-person meetings? Or just wearing masks? Isn’t it better than being sorry you didn’t?
It’s very hard to see everyone within your community not care about something so dangerous, considering how many people can die from it. Especially the elderly ones in the community.
It really hurts to see ignorant bliss, especially when it affects your family. Not only that, but it hurts that even after it happened and people got sick, everyone chose to pretend that nothing happened. That the government is just trying to control everyone and everything.
Now everyone has gone back to normal in their worlds, and I can only pray that more don’t get sick.
So that they don’t have to experience the pain I did.
Ali is a senior and one of the editors-in-chief for the Gazette. This is her second year on the Gazette staff.
